With type 2 diabetes on the rise in Maine, UMaine
researchers are studying the ways in which common foods may reduce
the risk of developing the disease. The scientists will try to
determine whether foods rich in the naturally occurring chemicals
known as anthocyanins could help to fend off type 2 diabetes. Known
to affect some aspects of diabetes, anthocyanins are the chemicals
that give purple and red fruits such as blueberries, cranberries,
and strawberries their bright colors. Naturally high in anthocyanins,
wild blueberries are an important crop in Maine, with an annual crop
value of more than $75 million. Researchers involved in the project
will monitor risk factors for diabetes in adult volunteers who
consume two servings of anthocyanin-containing foods per day over a
period of three months. If the risk factors are measurably reduced,
the project could identify a simple and easy way to reduce the risk
of developing diabetes.
Diabetes
Research